


Ever Two Halves

by sideofgrima



Series: Chrobin Week 2020 [3]
Category: Fire Emblem: Kakusei | Fire Emblem: Awakening
Genre: Chrobin Week 2020, F/M, Female My Unit | Reflet | Robin, Harvest Festival, Marriage Proposal
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-21
Updated: 2020-10-21
Packaged: 2021-03-09 04:22:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,625
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27137941
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sideofgrima/pseuds/sideofgrima
Summary: Day 3 - RingsRobin isn't sure she's a huge fan of the Ylissean Harvest Festival, not when Lissa practically forced her to wear this ridiculous costume.  And ESPECIALLY not when her friends are keeping from big secret from her: something about a big, mystery event happening at the end that she HAS to attend. But the worst part of it all?Chrom is in on it too.
Relationships: Chrom/My Unit | Reflet | Robin
Series: Chrobin Week 2020 [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1979573
Comments: 2
Kudos: 53





	Ever Two Halves

**Author's Note:**

> Okay so I've basically been working on this fic since Robin's Halloween alt came out, and because the prompt was rings, it actually gave me the motivation to finish (even if it has a LOOSE connection to said prompt). But I figured I would give that explanation since this one is so damn long compared to everything else lol
> 
> But any who, let me know if ya'll enjoyed ;))

With the change of the seasons came unexpected shifts for Robin and her new life in Ylisse. The war with Plegia had been a constant, considering it was  _ literally _ all she could remember, and to have peace between the two nations felt like someone had pulled a dark blanket over her head. 

As the Shepherd’s tactician, her job had always been getting their militia through battle without casualties… but now?

Her role had been delegated to moping around the castle, looking for things to do. 

It didn’t help that Chrom was almost never available the same way he used to be. On the warpath, Robin could drop by his tent whenever she wanted; whether that be for idle chatter, strategy meetings or even just scarce naps on his vastly superior cot. 

But now their friendship had been reduced to nothing but brief greetings or rushed conversations and scant touches when they passed by each other. Being the Exalt came with a host of new duties… and being a tactician in a time of peace meant a loss of them.

Though perhaps ‘friendship’ was the wrong word to use.

Because Robin’s relationship with the prince was… strained, to say the least.

Yes, he was still her closest friend, and  _ yes _ , she may have harbored a deep adoration for him. But that was the issue! Being his right hand woman for all those months gave way for strong feelings to develop.

Ones that she was never able to fully resolve.

Sure, she  _ wanted _ to tell him, and gods knew she came close to, but there was always something nagging at the back of her mind every time the chance arose.

Robin was an amnesiac that Chrom had picked up off the side of the road. She had no land, no money, and no standing with the other reigning nobles that made up the Ylissean court. Should she choose to act on her feelings? The court would surely disapprove and do everything in their power to push another suitable bride into the prince’s life.

Sure, she was the Shepherd’s tactician, and Chrom’s closest ally, but that meant nothing in the grand scheme of things. 

And besides, there were at least four other bachelorettes in the Shepherd’s  _ alone _ that he had known for  _ years _ . Something told her that their close friendship paled in comparison to the childhood bonds they had all experienced. 

Yet her feelings persisted. 

And in truth, if she couldn’t reveal her feelings to Chrom, then so be it. So long as she could keep him in her life, whether that be as a friend or a husband, was enough for her.

But gods above, did she doubt herself in whether it was even possible for the prince to love her.

And then she would think about the time they had kissed.

They had been in a private war meeting, trying to figure their next move in Emmeryn’s rescue. Emotions were high that night, and so was the temperature, so her cloak had been discarded to the side leaving her wearing a rather thin camisole. Had she caught the prince staring, if only for a moment? Yes. Did she mind?

Not in the slightest. 

Robin suggested they take a break, if only to let their minds clear. Chrom slumped down in a chair with a groan, understandably frustrated by their lack of progress, when she placed her hands on his shoulders to jokingly give him a massage. He had turned to face her, likely to comment something sarcastic... But in tandem with the stress and heat, their close proximity had all come together to brew a dangerous concoction: one that had her forgetting who leaned in first.

Royal scandals aside, it had been the best kiss of her life… though perhaps it was the  _ only _ kiss of her life, given the fact she couldn’t remember any others. Nevertheless, it was something that she had on repeat in her head most nights. 

Had they pulled apart on their own terms, she may have poured her heart out to him in an instant… but Lissa had come barreling through the war tent flaps in a tizzy, which then caused Robin to squawk out in surprise and fall back through the canvas. 

Frankly, it wasn’t one of her most dignified moments.

And then sometimes, she thought back to after the war, when he had requested she stayed back to talk. They had been standing on the top of one of the deserted forts, looking out as the sun set across the battlefield they had just dominated. 

He had apologized to her, saying that this war was not hers to fight… a ridiculous notion. It was the least she could do to repay him for his kindness, and that’s what she had told him. He had responded with a sad smile, saying something about all he could think about was Gangrel and how his own life wouldn’t have been too high of a price to pay.

Such a statement broke her heart… the thought of Chrom perishing was something that had crossed her mind before, as did the rest of the Shepherd’s, considering Robin would’ve felt responsible if such horrid events  _ did _ transpire.

So she had told him how it would’ve shattered the halidom, and torn her to pieces. He said she was a good friend for sticking through it all with him.

She simply reassured that no matter what, she’d be there for him.

His face had contorted into something… else. She couldn’t truly grasp what emotion he was feeling, but he had rummaged around his person to look for something.

Gods, she had been terrified… what if they were release papers?

“Hey, thanks for being a shoulder to cry on and the greatest friend I’ve had through this endeavor. You can pack your things up and leave now!”

What a way to end the war.

But in the end, his face had paled, claiming he had ‘lost something important’ before scurrying back off to the rest of the Shepherd’s.

Since then, they hadn’t talked about that incident… though it wasn’t like they had time to do so anyways.

Which led her to today, where she stood in front of a mirror, dressed as a cat. 

Or maybe she was a wolf? Frankly, she had no clue. Lissa had charged into her room with a basketful of clothes and fur, demanding she wear them for today’s festival.

A festival she hadn’t been aware of until the day of.

Chrom and Lissa and the rest of the Shepherd’s had talked endlessly about how excited they were to return home after the war for the long, endless list of Ylissean holidays and celebrations, and luckily for them, Gangrel had been defeated in due time for the annual Harvest Festival.

Robin looked herself up and down in the mirror, grimacing at the silliness of it all. Fake white ears, a long bushy tail, a big patch of fur sticking from her chest, gloves and boots in the shape of claws… all of it seemed like something a child would wear. 

BUT Lissa had  _ insisted _ that it was tradition to dress up for the festival, something about how costumes ‘confused evil spirits from attaching themselves to people’, but nowadays people just dressed for fun. 

Well, Robin wanted to talk to whoever decided  _ shorts _ in the middle of  _ fall _ was a good idea. Or the stupid collar Lissa had clasped around her neck! How did  _ that _ make her a wolf? 

When she had objected, the princess only waved her hand and said she  _ had _ to participate, since something big and important was happening at the end of the festival. Whatever it was SURELY didn’t involve such frivolous outfits… though Robin figured she shouldn’t doubt the extremes the Ylisseans were willing to go for a good time.

And then the princess had left to go dress herself for the night, leaving her alone to ponder what exactly this festival would be all about.

By the time she had finished pacing around her room, Robin opened the door to come face to face with Lissa, who had dressed herself up in a witch costume, a far cry from the normally bright and cheering colors she normally wore.

“See! I told you it would look good!” She cheered, patting the top of Robin’s head.

“Lissa, I look ridiculous in this.”

“I hope you mean ridiculously  _ cute _ ! Now come on!” She cried, tugging on the tacticians arms. “The festival’s already started!”

“A-alright, alright!” Robin cried, stumbling over her own feet, regretting what she may have just gotten herself into.

Walking in whatever you would classify  _ paws _ as was more of a challenge than she would’ve hoped, but Robin and Lissa made it to the town square with only minor injuries. And gods, what a festival this must’ve been.

What felt like hundreds of different stalls and booths were all set up, each with their own unique wears or games or anything in between, with hundreds of potential customers or visitors to match. Various shades of reds, yellows and oranges flooded the senses, and Robin couldn’t turn a corner without seeing a pumpkin, an assorted gourd or stalk of corn. To add to the scenery, the trees had just recently begun to shed their leaves, every breeze showering the festival with a whimsical flurry of foliage.

“Ta-daaaa!” Lissa cheered as she spread her arms out. “Welcome, Robin, to the Harvest Festival!”

“Well, it’s very… er, festive,” she noted, pulling a stray leaf out of her hair. “What is there to do?”

“The better question is what  _ isn’t _ there to do? We’ve got food stalls, carnival games, haunted houses, pie eating, pumpkin carving, apple bobbing, mask making, face painting, and I’m pretty sure there’s a petting zoo  _ somewhere _ .”

“O-oh, I suppose there’s quite a bit we could do… ah, I should’ve made a festival itinerary! Why didn’t you tell me about all these activities sooner?”

“For this exact reason! You have a plan for everything, Robin. Why don’t you just take today and go with the flow?”

“Because what if I use my time poorly and miss something important? What if a booth is only open from specific hours and they close down before I get the chance to see it? Lissa, this is  _ exactly _ why I plan for things!”

“Well, not today! Here, come with me, I’ll show you everything worthwhile! Besides, there’s some big stuff happening tonight that you might miss if I’m not with you!” Lissa cheered, tugging Robin’s arm once again.

“Okay, what is this ‘big mystery event’ you keep talking about?”

“It’s a secret that only Chrom and I know about!” The princess said with a wink.

“Oh! Is your brother... is he attending the festival today?” She asked hopefully.

“Hmmm, I don’t know! Maaaaaybe.”

“Come on, Lissa, I don’t think it’s a big secret if he’s coming or not.”

“Why do you want to know so bad?” She teased. “I think you liiiiike him.”

“Gods, Lissa. What are you, five?” Robin chuckled to herself. “My thoughts on your brother are none of your concern. It’s just been weeks since I’ve actually been able to talk to him.”

“Yeah? It’s been weeks since you’ve kissed him too…”

Robin lightly pushed the princess away with an exaggerated gasp. “I’ll have you know that I’ve done nothing of the sort! Chrom and I’s relationship has remained nothing but professional!” 

“Is that why you used to sleep in his tent all the time?” Lissa continued, raising her eyebrows.

“Well, his cot was  _ supremely _ more comfortable than my own.”

“Yeah? And mine was the same quality as his! You were more than welcome to nap in my tent.”

“Alright, I think I’ve had enough of this interrogation,” Robin said with a roll of her eyes. “Maybe I’ll just go enjoy the festival on my own!” Her eyes scanned the swarming crowd of people until she spotted a familiar head of cobalt hair. “Oh? Looks like your brother is here  _ after _ all.”

“Er, Robin that’s-”

The rest of Lissa’s sentence faded into a murmur as the tactician proudly marched up to the prince.

“Hey, you!” She called with a gleeful expression, rushing over to grab him by the shoulder, though she wondered why exactly he wasn’t in costume… or why he appeared to be a few inches shorter. 

‘Chrom’ turned around, only for Robin to be met with a very familiar looking thief. 

“Gaius!?” She exclaimed, if only slightly surprised. 

“Hey, Bubbles. Whaddya think of my costume?” He gave Robin the full outfit tour, spinning slowly in place and even fanning his cape out for dramatic effect.

“It’s…  _ very _ convincing. Had me fooled for a moment, I’ll admit,” she chuckled to herself.

“Well, that’s what I was aimin’ for.”

“How did you get a tailor to replicate his clothes? Those look exactly like his?”

“Oh, that’s because they  _ are _ his,” Gaius admitted, unwrapping a lollipop and sticking in his mouth. “Did you know the man wears onesies, like, all the time?”

“I did, unfortunately... How did you get him to let you borrow his stuff?”

“‘Cause I never asked. It’s a lot easier to ask for forgiveness than permission… but Frederick had a field day when he saw me leave Blue’s room with his clothes. Something about ‘impersonating royalty’ and ‘capital offenses’.”

“Well, that certainly sounds like Frederick… and did you  _ dye _ your hair?” She asked, grabbing a lock of the thieves abnormally blue hair between her claws.

“Yessir, glad someone appreciates the effort I went through to make this work. But enough about me, let’s talk about you, Bubbles. I didn’t take you as the ‘soft, cutesy furry’ kinda gal.”

“O-oh, I’m not. Lissa made me wear this. If it were up to me, I wouldn’t dress up as something this silly,” she explained, turning her body slightly to view the rest of her costume. “I feel kinda stupid.”

“Don’t be, you look cute. The harvest festival is a stupid, fun time and you should take a moment to let your hair down and have some stupid fun.”

“I suppose… oh, speaking of stupid fun, do you know whats happening tonight? Lissa kept alluding to something but wouldn’t give me any details.”

“Oh, hmmmm... Yeah, I know nothing about it,” Gaius said as he tried to look as oblivious as possible, but he wasn’t fooling anyone.

“You’re a poor liar. Makes me wonder how you made it as a thief,” she said with a sly grin. “Now come on, fess up.”

“Really, I have no clue what you’re talking about.”

“I don’t get why it's some big secret! Is it because I’d plan over it? Or would I ruin it, perhaps?” Robin wracked her brain for every reason in the book, but she truly couldn’t wrap her head around it.

“Look, even if there  _ was _ a super mysterious surprise happening at the end of the night, which there isn’t, shouldn’t you just wait and find out what it is?”

“Gaius, my role as a tactician is to be one step  _ ahead _ of everything. Asking me to wait is like asking Sumia to stop tripping over nothing, or Frederick to stop doting… or, better yet, it’d be like me asking you to stop eating sweets for one day.”

“Oh, geez, I guess I see your point. But at the same time, it  _ is _ only for one day.”

“Alright, then empty your pockets. I’d love to see how long you could go for.”

“Okay, okay, Bubbles! I’m just givin’ you some free advice! And, for the record, if it were up to me, I would-”

“Robin! I have to show you something!” Lissa suddenly called, bounding over to grab the tactician by the arm. “Sorry, Gaius, but I’m stealing her.”

“Ah, no worries. I’ve got some candy stalls to peruse and some carnival vendors to scam. You look cute by the way, Princess.”

“I’d say the same if I wasn’t highly disturbed by your costume,” Lissa replied, tugging Robin away for what felt like the fifth time today. 

“What did you have to show me?” She asked.

“Oh, er, it’s…” the princess scanned the area before her eyes locked onto something in the town square. “It’s over here! Come on!”

As the two stumbled over into the center of the square, Lissa sat herself down on the basin of the fountain. She patted the spot next to her, which Robin hopped up on, careful not to let her tail dip down into the water.

“So… what’s so special about this?” 

“We just have to wait a minute! I, er, saw something really cool…” she said as she made a series of faces, as if she was trying to glare at someone in the crowd, but through the ever shifting sea of people, Robin couldn’t see  _ who _ . “You know what? Give me a second.”

Moments later, Lissa came back, dragging Chrom by the hand and giving him an earful.

“-told you to meet us back over by the castle entrance!” She chided.

“I know, I know! But… I may have gotten tangled up in my costume… and then I-”

His aforementioned costume looked strikingly familiar, considering it was very similar to Robin’s, save for the fact his accessories were made with black fur instead of white, and the fact he had actual pants on. The tattered cape he wore was different too, looking similar to the ones he normally had, where hers were made with the same fabric her cloak was.

“I don’t care! Chrom, I’m doing this for  _ you _ and if you can’t stick to our plans then--” Lissa looked at Robin, as if she just remembered that she was there. “Anyways! Look at all of us! Here... _ together… _ Oh, but would you look at the time? It seems I have to go!”

“What clock are you looking at?” Robin chuckled as she looked around, confused as to the notable lack of clocks.

“You know…  _ a _ clock. Anywho, you two enjoy yourselves!” And with that, Lissa walked away into the crowd, leaving the two alone. 

“So,” Robin spoke first. “You totally copied me.”

“Hm? In what way?”

“Your costume? You took my werewolf idea.”

“Wha-... Lissa was the one that picked that out for you! How could I have copied that when you weren’t even planning on going?” Chrom laughed.

“Oh, details, details,” she said with a wave of her hand and a smile.

“We haven’t spoken in weeks, and before I even get a proper hello, you’re accusing me of stealing your idea?” He said with a wry smile.

“How foolish of me!” Robin cried dramatically as she draped herself over the prince. “Milord! It’s been ages, nay,  _ eons _ since I’ve had the pleasure of talking with you! To what do I owe the pleasure?”

Chrom only laughed as he struggled to support both their weights. “Alright, perhaps not  _ quite _ like that. A simple ‘hi’ would have worked!”

“Maybe so, maybe so,” she admitted before standing on her own and smoothing down her patch of fur. “Now, seeing as Lissa has abandoned me, why don’t you and I enjoy this festival a little? Or at least until you have to stop playing civilian and get back to your Exalt duties.”

“Well, that was sort of my plan for today,” Chrom said with a smile. “I had Lissa bring you that costume and get you to come here.”

“Oh, you didn’t,” Robin grinned. 

“Oh, but I  _ did _ .”

“You sneaky bastard! You planned this all out, down to us wearing matching costumes?”

“It appears so, yes.”

“But Chrom, I look ridiculous in this,” she admitted.

“And here I thought you looked quite cute,” he reassured. “Now! Why don’t I show you my favorite things to do?”

“I think that sounds lovely. Lead the way, Your Highness.” 

With as much energy as a little kid, Chrom led Robin through the winding streets of Ylisstol, letting her take in the scenery and new sensations. Each booth seemed to have something new and different from the last, from the wide ranges of autumn themed pastries and sweets to wreaths made of leaves and dried grasses to stalls that broadcasted a variety of bracelets and necklaces. But above all else, the  _ smell _ was heavenly. Dried leaves, nutmeg and cinnamon, pumpkin and roasted nuts wafted through the air, all of which came together to smell just like fall should.

Their first stop had been at an aforementioned pastry booth.

“Oh, these are quite cute!” Robin said, gesturing to the various pumpkin shaped cookies. “They’ve even got ones shaped like cats!”

“If there’s one thing Ylisseans know how to do, it's bake,” he responded. “Why don’t we get a few?”

“I would, but Lissa took off with my coin purse,” she said with a helpless look. “If we see her, I’ll grab it back but for now, let’s keep looking!” 

As she headed off to the next stall, she went to say something to Chrom, only to see him back at the cookie booth, chatting away with the vendor. The prince gave a series of thank yous before dropping a handful of gold coins onto the counter in exchange for two cookies. He quickly darted back over to her side, extending a cookie out to her.

“For you, milady,” he said in a sarcastic, haughty voice.

“Oh! Milord, you shouldn't have!” Robin responded in kind, taking the cat cookie from him. She nibbled on one of the ears, shocked by how tasty the treat actually was and had it devoured in seconds.

“Perhaps we’ll be making a return trip here?” Chrom said with a laugh as he bit into his own cookie.

“Maybe, but you’ve gotta show me everything else. Lissa gave a rundown of everything here… gods, maybe there’s  _ too _ much to do?” 

“Nonsense. Even if that’s the case, we’ll have next year to experience it all over again and hit the places we missed!”

Robin’s heart warmed at the statement.

_ Next year _ .

A part of her feared that their weeks of absence would’ve stripped away the foundation of their friendship, but as he often did, Chrom had his ways of letting her know that everything would be okay.

Robin didn’t truly understand what the purpose of pumpkin carving was, but Chrom was happy to explain as they found an empty spot at the long tables set out. 

“People used to believe that spirits and demons would possess you during the fall and make life during winter even harder, so they figured that by dressing up and carving scary faces into gourds and pumpkins would ward the spirits away,” he said as he cut a hole in the top of his. “Now we just do it for fun!”

“I see…” Robin said as she stared intently at her squash. “So… where do I start?”

So he showed her the ropes, where to cut, when to scrape the seeds and guts out, and what tools to use for each process. 

By the end, Chrom ended up knocking his pumpkin off of the table, which then splattered on the ground. Robin offered a space on hers so that they could, in her words, ‘collaborate’. 

Their pumpkin ended up feeling like one person carved it… because the two soon came to realize that neither had an artistic bone in their body. Robin had tried to carve out a wolf, to keep in theme with their costumes, but it ended up looking more like a deformed bird. Chrom tried his hand at a wolf too, but his came out looking like someone stabbed their pumpkin numerous times. 

They decided that any spirit that tried to attack them would be scared away by how ‘frighteningly bad’ their jack-o-lantern was.

They say that time flies when you’re having fun, so Robin hadn’t even realized when the sun had already begun to set. An afternoon filled with apple bobbing, stall browsing, and only about half of the activities that Lissa was able to list made the time pass in a blink of an eye.

“You’d think that they’d make this festival a two-day celebration, considering how much there is to do,” Robin noted as she watched stall vendors place lit candles inside carved pumpkins.

“Oh, we’ve tried that before, but when the sun sets, all the adult booths come out… and so does the alcohol. Most people are too hungover to really leave their houses the next morning… if they even make it back in the first place.”

“Pffft, what a sight that must be,” Robin said with a stretch and a yawn. “Is it bad that I’m tired after only half a day? Because I could fall asleep right here on the floor if I really wanted to.”

“Well, you do have a habit of sleeping on the ground,” Chrom remarked. “And if you’re already tired, we might have to start training regularly again.”

“Heh, that gives us an excuse to spend time together though, right? Doesn’t sound all that bad.”

“Oh? So eager to lose in our sparring sessions again?”

“Please, ours always ended in draws.”

“Mhm, I’m sure.”

“I’m serious!” She cried, lightly punching Chrom in the arm. The two laughed together for a moment before fading into a palpable silence. 

Above them, a gust of wind blew through the treetops, sending a cascade of leaves down to the ground. Robin stared up in whimsy, taking in the moment before the prince spoke.

“I… I’m sorry that I’ve been so absent recently,” he said quietly, just barely above a whisper.

“Chrom? You don’t have to apologize,” Robin said through a laugh. “You’re the newly crowned Exalt, so of course you’d be busy. I don’t expect you to spend every waking minute with me.”

“Even if that’s what I’d rather be doing instead of all these damned meetings?”

“A-ah, well. I suppose we all have our priorities, and you’re the ruler of a war torn nation. You know I’m always here to help you, hell, I promised you that I would help you rebuild… but I’m not exactly as well versed in the world of politics if you would believe it.”

“I know, you’ve said so before… but perhaps you’d like to change that? Maybe take a different role than just tactician?” Chrom said as he turned to face her.

“Right… you’ve mentioned this before.”

“I-I have?”

“About becoming an official member of your council?”

“Oh… oh! I suppose w e have talked about it before…”

“Yes… of course I’m honored that you’ve offered me the position, but would your court approve of it? I’ve heard the whispering and rumors between the nobles, so I know I’m not as well liked as I would’ve hoped,” Robin chuckled, though it was a laugh that didn’t reach her eyes. 

“Frankly, I don’t care what my court says. If I want to have you as my council member or… any other position, it’s up to me and not them,” Chrom reassured before taking her hand and gesturing to another section of booths. “But I think that’s enough about politics for today, yes? There’s still plenty to do before the final event tonight.”

“Lissa mentioned that… said something about how only you and her knew what it was, but I know for a fact Gaius was in on it too. Care to share?”

“Oh, but I can’t just  _ tell _ you, Robin! That would ruin the surprise!”

“Come  _ on _ ,” she whined. “I don’t like being left in the dark for this long and you know it!”

“Alright alright, I tell you  _ half _ of it, okay?” Robin nodded enthusiastically. “Fireworks.” 

“That’s it? Lissa made it out to be something bigger.”

“Well, that’s only half of it. There’s more to come, and I  _ hope _ you’d be a bit more impressed at that.”

“Well what is it?”

“I can’t tell you,” Chrom chuckled to himself.

“Ugh…”

The adult booths were… well,  _ adult _ . Ranging from finely aged wines and meads to raunchy comedy shows to harvest festival themed undergarments, some of which made Robin blush. And with the setting of the sun, she saw more and more people stumbling about, the scent of alcohol wafting through the air.

But as time passed, the two realized that they had just about exhausted themselves with the day booths. With stomachs full of cookies and arms tired from lugging around a poorly carved pumpkin all day, Robin had practically forgotten about the fireworks until Chrom grabbed her hand and dragged her to the town square.

As they took their spots, the crowd around them filled more and more, catching sight of multiple Shepherd’s who she hadn’t seen all too much of during the day.

“You know what?” Robin said.

“Hm?”

“I don’t actually think I’ve ever seen fireworks before.”

“What? Oh, Robin, this is perfect, then. They’re unlike anything you’ve ever seen… oh, maybe except magic. It’s sort of similar to that, I suppose,” Chrom said with a smile. 

Robin returned the smile, and though her gaze remained transfixed on the sky, she could see the prince almost fidgeting beside him. Perhaps he was nervous, or maybe he was just excited but whatever the reason, she watched as his gaze fell into the crowd, where Lissa gave him a thumbs up. 

Probably some sort of sibling thing, she assumed, but Chrom’s twitchiness didn’t stop. So she slipped her paw around his and gave his hand a squeeze, as best she could through their gloves. The prince looked at her in complete adoration, returning the sentiment before looking up towards the sky. 

A small group of people worked at the sides of the town square, many holding pieces of flint and steel, igniting the fuses of the rockets before sending them whistling into the sky. Robin hadn’t entirely expected them to make noise like that… or the loud boom when they exploded a cascade of color and sparks across the sky.

Gods, had Chrom been right. 

She’d never seen anything quite like them before. Even her magic didn’t quite compare to the dazzling array of colors streaking the sky, or the different patterns that they formed. A few of the fireworks had even left shapes of pumpkins and leaves in the air, something she was  _ sure _ her magic couldn’t do. 

But as she watched, her attention was pulled back to Chrom, who still held her hand and seemed to be transfixed on her instead of the sky.

“...Chrom? You’re missing the show,” she teased.

“A-ah, I know… I-I just… Have I ever told you how beautiful you are, Robin?” He asked with sincerity, his cheeks bright red.

“Perhaps not to my face, no. But I do recall you telling me the opposite. That I wasn’t ‘prim, proper, performed or pretty’,” she chuckled, though the expression on Chrom’s face was all kinds of embarrassment.

“And I don’t think I’ve ever been more wrong in my life…” suddenly he was turning to face her. “Robin, you and I… we met under some extraordinary circumstances. I think we can both agree on that.”

“W-well sure. It’s not every day the prince of the halidom finds you passed out in the field, drooling on yourself,” she pointed out.

“Indeed… when I was talking about offering you a position, I wasn’t really talking about you being my advisor… I was wondering if you’d like to be my q-” Chrom felt around his back pockets for a moment before his eyes went wide. “Oh, son of a-” He frantically felt around his entire person, patting down every visible pocket before dropping to his knees and sifting through the small piles of leaves. “No, no no  _ no _ !”

“Chrom? What’s the matter?” Robin asked, kneeling to the floor to help him look.

“I, I seemed to have… er, misplaced something. Something  _ very _ important. Gods, I can’t believe I did this  _ again! _ ” He cried before shooting to his feet. “This all went a lot smoother in my head! Er, stay here with the pumpkin, I-I’ll be right back!” And with that, Chrom rushed through the crowd to find Lissa.

Robin watched them, though she couldn’t hear what they were saying. All she saw was the prince in a tizzy, and his sister smack him upside the head and chew him out for something she wasn’t entirely sure of.

But then the princess started asking the people around her about something, which then triggered them to ask the people around  _ them _ .

Which then began the search for Chrom’s lost item.

Suddenly, nobody was watching the fireworks anymore, and the people working eventually stopped lighting them and started searching themselves. Everyone in the town square was looking top to bottom in every possible area of the city: under booths, in each other's pockets, even in the decorative displays of wheat and corn. 

Everyone; except for Robin. 

Chrom hadn’t told her what he lost, or why it was so damned important. Gods, that man… he completely ruined the moment they were having, too. Had the entire town not have been swarming around her, she would’ve taken a moment to relish in the compliments Chrom had given her. 

And a new position… what on earth was he talking about? With a huff, she sat up on the fountain once again, their shared pumpkin seated beside her. 

“Some evening this turned out to be, huh, Pumpkin?” She asked, though why she resorted to talking to a gourd was beyond her. Though… she took a closer look at the squash, and noted something dark sitting inside. Robin knew they hadn’t placed any candles inside yet… so she popped the stem of and plunged her hand in, grabbing hold of a small, ornate velvet bag. 

She held it in one hand, realizing how light it was before taking note of the Mark of the Exalt embroidered into the fabric. 

“Oh!” She gasped before hopping down off the stonework and stepping into the crowd. She caught sight of Lissa, who was still frantically sorting through what appeared to be other people's belongings, and gave her a tap on the shoulder.

“Er, Lissa? Is this it?” Robin held the bag out, only for the princess to whirl around and let out a sigh of relief.

“Gods, yes,  _ yes! _ That’s it! Ah, you’ve saved the night Robin!” She cheered before placing a finger to her chin. “Why am I not surprised you were the one that found it? Ah, nevermind that. CHROM!” She yelled, catching the prince’s attention, who rushed over in a huff. “We found it!”

“Oh, thank the gods!” He turned his attention to Robin, who still held the bag in her hands. “I can’t believe that I lost this a second time!” He chuckled before turning to the crowd, calling out to them. “We found it!”

A chorus of cheers and sighs of relief fill the night air as Chrom gives Lissa a hopeful look, to which she only nodded in response. 

“Well, I’m glad we found it, whatever that is,” Robin noted, handing the bag to the prince, though he does not take it. 

“My question is  _ where _ did you find it?” 

“In our pumpkin,” she chuckled.

Chrom slaps a pawed hand to his forehead. “Gah, I forgot I put it in there!” 

“Why would you put something  _ that _ important in a squash, Chrom!?” Lissa yells, though Robin can hear the crowd snicker.

“What even is it?” She asked.

“Oh it's… you know, why don’t you open it?”

Robin attempted to open the bag with her claws, though she found it nearly impossible before ripping her gloves off and handing them to Lissa, relishing in the cool air that rushed over her hot hands. As she opened the bag, she let its contents drop down onto her hand.

A ring. 

A single, gilded ring with the Mark of the Exalt melded into its head. 

At first, she’s almost confused until reality dawned upon her.

“C-Chrom…?” She said, just barely above a whisper.

“I wanted to ask after the war ended, but I suppose I forgot to bring that with me,” he said with a laugh. “After that day, I’ve been thinking and planning a way to ask you, so… Robin, would you do me the honors of being my wife?”

She almost gave him an answer when she realized that hundreds of eyes in the crowd were boring into her. With a shaky breath, she thinks of what’s at stake.

“Chrom… I can’t. You  _ know _ I can’t,” Robin said, though she hated how the townspeople all seemed let out a disappointed groan.

“W-why? Was this too much? Ah, I shouldn’t have proposed in front of a crowd, I’m sor-”

“No, it’s not that. It’s me,” she said with a shake of her head. “I love you, Chrom. I have for a while, but who am I, nothing more than a commoner, to take your hand? The nobles would never approve, and your council-”

“To hell with them!” Chrom reassures. “If the only reason you say no is because of my council, then I would sooner abolish it for you to say yes!” Suddenly, he takes his paws off and cups her face. “Robin, I don’t care what your status is… I love you for  _ you _ . You’re my partner in crime, you always have been… and these past weeks have been torture for me. So…?”

Robin wasn’t sure when she started crying, but all she knew was that she choked back a sob as she gave a fervent nod. 

“Yes, Chrom. I’ll marry you, you dolt,” she whispered. 

With that, the crowd erupted in cheers and jubilation. The two stood there for a moment, both now crying before Robin pulled him in for a kiss. Though brief, and in front of hundreds of people, she felt complete, like this was meant to be.

Like she’d finally,  _ truly _ found her other half.

Though... she also felt a little silly that she hadn't seen this coming.

As they pulled away, Lissa approached with a sniffle.

“L-let me be the first to say that I never thought I’d see my brother married,” she laughs. “But I’m so happy for you both, really.”

“Well, I figured that Chrom couldn’t plan something like this on his own, so I should be thanking you, Lissa,” Robin teased.

“What do you mean I couldn’t have planned this?” He asked as ehe wiped his eyes.

“Well, romance isn’t your strong suit. Like, at all,” she pointed out, which earned her a nudge from Chrom. 

After most of the crowd had given their series of congratulations and best wishes, they dissipate, leaving most of the Shepherd’s behind, who give both Chrom and Robin pats on the back and felicitations.

And then they see them pass around bags of money.

“What’s the gold for?” Robin asked as she turned to Lissa, who collected her payment from Maribelle.

“Oh, all of us were betting on when you two would end up together,” she said with a shrug. “It got really intense, too. Like right after the war, all of our bets doubled. Frankly, I’d almost given up hope until he begged me to help think of a plan.”

“Wha- I did not  _ beg _ you!” Chrom argued. “I simply asked for your help, that’s all!”

“Well, it sounded a lot like begging to me!”

As the two continued to banter, Robin held her hand to her heart, taking in the beauty of the ring. 

In all honesty, she would’ve said yes with or without it. But to have a physical reminder of their love was a nice touch, too.

Though in the moment, all she could truly think about was how ‘Chrom’ it was for him to lose the ring not once, but  _ twice _ .


End file.
